RAYAGADA: Basic health services still remain a distant dream for the people of the district due to acute staff shortage and poor infrastructure at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), sub-divisional hospital at Gunupur and other Government hospitals in the district.
The district has only 61 doctors against 121 sanctioned posts to look after the healthcare of around 9.11 lakh population. While 1200-1500 patients visit 11 Community Health Centres (CHCs) and 34 Public Health Centres (PHCs) in the district everyday, most of the hospitals have been found to be run by Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANMs), nurses and pathologists. At the same time, important posts like ADMO (PH), ADMO (FW), DLO, DSMO, surgery specialist, ophthalmologist, anaesthetist and radiologist are lying vacant in the DHH.
The locals alleged that even for minor health ailment, the DHH doctors are referring the patients to Visakhapatnam or Berhampur.
The district is prone to malaria, diarrhoea, cholera and dengue. As per Government records, around 500 people fall victim to these diseases every year. The most affected blocks are Kashipur, Kalyansingpur, Chandrapur, Gudari, Bisamcuttack, Muniguda and Gunupur. In the last six months, around 100 persons of Kashipur block have died due to various diseases.
People of Odajhar, Siripai, Gudibali, Manusgaon, Bendlapass, Kadalikhol, Attang, Murka, Haldimali and Phuljoba villages in Kashipur block have been facing acute health problems during rainy and winter seasons.
Kaliram Majhi, a resident of Kashipur block, alleged that besides vacancy of doctor posts in the hospitals, the 108 emergency ambulance is unable to reach the villages like Siripai, Gudibali, Attang, Kadalikhol and Haldimali due to poor road condition. More than 100 villages in the district have the same tale to tell.
Gunupur sub-divisional hospital is also facing acute staff shortage. Against the sanctioned strength of 16 doctors, only four doctors are present.
Apart from scarcity of doctors, sanitary care in the Government hospitals is highly neglected. Unscientific waste management and lack of maintenance of drainage system have aggravated the situation. The district also faces scarcity of trained staff nurses and auxiliary nurses.
Contacted, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Ananda Padhi said the higher authorities have been apprised of the shortage of doctors and staff nurses in the hospitals.